Track apparatus incorporating non-pneumatic wheels

Abstract

A track apparatus is provided for mounting on a rotatable axle of a vehicle. The track apparatus includes a flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle so as to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle. Leading and trailing idler assemblies are attached to the frame. Each idler assembly includes a non-pneumatic idler wheel having a plurality of voids therein. In addition, a bogie assembly is also supported by the frame. The bogie assembly includes a non-pneumatic bogie wheel having a plurality of voids therein. The idler wheels and the bogie wheels have increased dimensional reliability and provide shock absorption and self-cleaning features to the track apparatus.

We claim: 
     
       1. A track apparatus having a frame, the track apparatus mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle, comprising: a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length and including an inner surface;   a drive wheel mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith, the drive wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle;   a generally solid, leading idler wheel rotatably mounted on the distal end of the leading idler arm and having a radially outer surface which engages the inner surface of the flexible track, the leading idler wheel including a first set of spaced voids extending therethrough so as to allow the leading idler wheel to be resilient in response to an external force on the radially outer surface thereof.   
     
     
       2. The track apparatus of claim 1 wherein the leading idler wheel includes a second set of spaced voids therein, the second set of spaced voids in the leading idler wheel being radially spaced from the first set of voids in the leading idler wheel. 
     
     
       3. The track apparatus of claim 1 wherein the leading idler wheel has an axial center and a predetermined radius, and wherein each void of the first set of spaced voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel. 
     
     
       4. The track apparatus of claim 3 wherein the leading idler wheel includes a second set of spaced voids therein, each void of the second set of voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel. 
     
     
       5. The track apparatus of claim 4 wherein the predetermined radial distance each void of the first set of voids from the axial center of the leading idler wheel is greater than the predetermined radial distance each void of the second set of voids from the axial center of the leading idler wheel. 
     
     
       6. The track apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a trailing idler arm having a proximal end mounted to the frame and a distal end; and   a trailing idler wheel rotatably mounted on the trailing idler arm for rotational movement therewith, the trailing idler wheel including a first set of spaced voids therein.   
     
     
       7. The track apparatus of claim 6 wherein the trailing idler wheel includes a second set of spaced voids therein, the second set of spaced voids in the trailing idler wheel being radially spaced from the first set of voids in the trailing idler wheel. 
     
     
       8. The track apparatus of claim 6 wherein the trailing idler wheel has an axial center and a predetermined radius, and wherein each void of the first set of spaced voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing idler wheel. 
     
     
       9. The track apparatus of claim 8 wherein the trailing idler wheel includes a second set of spaced voids therein, each void of the second set of voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing idler wheel. 
     
     
       10. The track apparatus of claim 9 wherein the predetermined radial distance each void of the first set of voids from the axial center of the leading idler wheel is greater than the predetermined radial distance each void of the second set of voids from the axial center of the trailing idler wheel. 
     
     
       11. The track apparatus of claim 6 further comprising: a bogie arm having a trailing end mounted to the frame and a leading end; and   a leading bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along lower length and rotatably mounted adjacent the leading end of the bogie arm, the leading bogie wheel having a first set of spaced voids therein.   
     
     
       12. The track apparatus of claim 11 wherein the leading bogie wheel has an axial center and a predetermined radius, and wherein each void of the first set of spaced voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading bogie wheel. 
     
     
       13. The track apparatus of claim 11 further comprising, a trailing bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along lower length and rotatably mounted adjacent the trailing end of the bogie arm, the trailing bogie wheel having a plurality of spaced voids therein. 
     
     
       14. The track apparatus of claim 13 wherein the trailing bogie wheel has an axial center and a predetermined radius, and wherein each void of the first set of spaced voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing bogie wheel. 
     
     
       15. A track apparatus having a frame, the track apparatus mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle, comprising: a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length and including an inner surface;   a drive wheel mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith, the drive wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle;   a leading idler assembly attached to the frame and including a generally solid leading wheel engaging the flexible track, the leading idler wheel having a plurality of voids therein so as to allow the leading idler wheel to be resilient in response to an external force thereon.   
     
     
       16. The track apparatus of claim 15 wherein the leading idler wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the leading idler wheel includes a first set of voids at a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel, and a second set of voids radially spaced from the first set of voids. 
     
     
       17. The track apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame and including a trailing idler wheel engaging the flexible track, the trailing idler wheel including a plurality of voids therein. 
     
     
       18. The track apparatus of claim 17 wherein the trailing idler wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the trailing idler wheel includes a first set of voids at a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing idler wheel, and a second set of voids radially spaced from the first set of voids. 
     
     
       19. The track apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a leading bogie assembly supported by the frame and including a leading bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along lower length, the leading bogie wheel having a plurality of spaced voids therein. 
     
     
       20. The track apparatus of claim 19 wherein the leading bogie wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the leading bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading bogie wheel. 
     
     
       21. The track apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a trailing bogie assembly supported by the frame and including a trailing bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along lower length, the trailing bogie wheel having a plurality of spaced voids therein. 
     
     
       22. The track apparatus of claim 21 wherein the trailing bogie wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the trailing bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing bogie wheel. 
     
     
       23. A track apparatus having a frame, the track apparatus mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle, comprising: a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length and including an inner surface;   a drive wheel mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith, the drive wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle;   a leading bogie assembly supported by the frame and having a generally solid, leading bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length, each leading bogie wheel having a plurality of voids therein so as to allow the leading idler wheel to be resilient in response to an external force thereon; and   a trailing bogie assembly supported by the frame and having a generally solid, trailing bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length, each trailing bogie wheel having a plurality of voids therein so as to allow the trailing idler wheel to be resilient in response to an external force thereon.   
     
     
       24. The track apparatus of claim 23 wherein the drive wheel includes upper and lower circumferential portions, the upper circumferential portion of the drive wheel engaging the flexible track along the upper length. 
     
     
       25. The track apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a leading idler assembly attached to the frame, the leading idler assembly including a leading idler wheel engaging the flexible track and having a plurality of spaced voids therein. 
     
     
       26. The track apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame, the trailing idler assembly including a trailing idler wheel engaging the flexible track and having a plurality of spaced voids therein. 
     
     
       27. The track apparatus of claim 23 wherein the leading bogie wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the leading bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading bogie wheel. 
     
     
       28. The track apparatus of claim 27 wherein the trailing bogie wheel includes an axial center, and wherein the plurality of voids in the trailing bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing bogie wheel.